Do’s and Don’ts For Your Next Holiday Party

Make the holiday party work for you.

We’ve all heard the stories of a colleague or friend of a friend who made a serious faux pas at the company holiday party. Someone has too much to drink, performs a little impromptu karaoke, busts some bizarre dance moves, or worst of all, feels emboldened to declare painfully inappropriate comments.

Here are some tips and tricks to sparkle like a star at your next holiday event:

If you’re the person in charge of planning the event, surprise and delight your guests with a take-away gift or favor at the end of the event. An expertly branded gift will create a memorable occasion and keep a theme going year ‘round.

Know your limits. Set your limit prior to the event, helping to avoid temptation during the live action. Follow the lead of high ranking employees and corporate leadership. If one or two drinks is their max, stay aligned with their intake. Take cues from personal experience and be aware that if one drink gets you giggly, one drink is your limit. Drinks, food and energy will flow, but keep in mind that you will see all of these people, on Monday.

Dress to impress. Learn the attire expectations in advance of the event and drape yourself accordingly. Don’t break out the elegant dress and tux unless the event is designated black tie. Remember that you are attending a company event, and if business casual is expected, a casual cocktail dress, skirt & blouse or pantsuit is suitable for women, while men may elect a dress shirt with slacks and tie (which can be removed if desired).

Show up and engage. This is a prime occasion to circulate and speak with colleagues who you don’t usually get a chance to interact with. This is a great opportunity to shed the work talk and get to know people outside of the office. If spouses and children are invited, make sure to interact with them too. Think of fun conversation topics in advance, such as upcoming movie releases, holiday traditions that you share, music and upcoming events. Be social and actively introduce people who may have things in common. Use the event to generate relationships and good will across your organization.

Say thank you. Hours of work and planning went into the event so remember to thank not only the hosts, but any planning committee members and sponsors. Bestow recognition upon the team who worked tireless to prepare the event and stand out among those who forget to give thanks.